Mtskhetos ( ka, მცხეთოსი), is an epic hero in
Georgian mythology
Georgian mythology ( ka, ქართული მითოლოგია, tr) refers to the mythology of pre-Christian Georgians ( /kʌrtˈvɛliənz/; Georgian: ქართველები, romanized: kartvelebi, pronounced ʰɑrtʰvɛl ...
, the son of
Kartlos
Kartlos () is the eponymous ancestor of the Georgians (Kartvelians) in Georgian mythology, more specifically of the nation of Kartli (Caucasian Iberia).
Kartlos is introduced in the medieval Georgian Chronicles (''Kartlis Tskhovreba''), presumabl ...
, eponymous ancestor of the
Georgians
The Georgians, or Kartvelians (; ka, ქართველები, tr, ), are a nation and indigenous Caucasian ethnic group native to Georgia and the South Caucasus. Georgian diaspora communities are also present throughout Russia, Turkey, G ...
, founder of
Mtskheta
Mtskheta ( ka, მცხეთა, tr ) is a city in Mtskheta-Mtianeti province of Georgia. It is one of the oldest cities in Georgia as well as one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the World. Itis located approximately north of T ...
, the capital of the Georgian
Kingdom of Iberia
In Greco-Roman geography, Iberia (Ancient Greek: ''Iberia''; la, Hiberia) was an exonym for the Georgians, Georgian kingdom of Kartli ( ka, ქართლი), known after its Kartli, core province, which during Classical Antiquity and the E ...
.
According to
The Georgian Chronicles
''The Georgian Chronicles'' is a conventional English name for the principal compendium of medieval Georgian historical texts, natively known as ''Kartlis Tskhovreba'' ( ka, ქართლის ცხოვრება), literally "Life of Kar ...
, Mtskhetos was the strongest warrior among the brothers, all of whom obeyed to him. He was the only son of Kartlos, who stayed to live on the land of his father. At the confluence of rivers
Mtkvari
The Kura is an east-flowing river south of the Greater Caucasus Mountains which drains the southern slopes of the Greater Caucasus east into the Caspian Sea. It also drains the north side of the Lesser Caucasus while its main tributary, the Ar ...
and
Aragvi
The Aragvi ( ka, არაგვი) and its basin are in Georgia on the southern slopes of the Caucasus Mountains. The river is long, and its basin covers an area of . The ground strata are mostly sandstone, slate, and limestone. The Zhinval ...
Mtskhetos founded the city, which he called after himself, Mtskheta. He conquered the lands to the west till the
Black Sea
The Black Sea is a marginal mediterranean sea of the Atlantic Ocean lying between Europe and Asia, east of the Balkans, south of the East European Plain, west of the Caucasus, and north of Anatolia. It is bounded by Bulgaria, Georgia, Roma ...
.
Mtskhetos had three sons:
Uplos,
Odzrkhos and
Javakhos. Between them Mtskhetos divided the country. After the death of Mtskhetos, his brothers became hostile to each other.
References
*Rapp, Stephen H. (2003), ''Studies In Medieval Georgian Historiography: Early Texts And Eurasian Contexts'', p. 427. Peeters Bvba .
*''Картлис цховреба. История Грузии'' (2008) Под. ред. Метревели, Р. Издательство «Артануджи». 455 с. (In Russian)
External links
TITUS text of the ''Kartlis Cxovreba''
{{Georgian mythology
Georgian mythology